Running the gap

Grants’ Anzures takes advantage to win 800-meter run

Navajo Times | Adron GardnerGrants Pirate Michael Anzures crosses the finish line in first place for the boys 800-meter race during the Marilyn Sepulveda Meet of Champions at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque April 17.

ALBUQUERQUE

Grants middle distance runner Michael Anzures was back at it again on Monday.

Two days after setting a new school record in the 800-meter run, Anzures topped the field at the prestigious Marilyn Sepulveda Meet of Champions at the University of New Mexico campus.

In what looked like an unlikely feat, Anzures was boxed in near the halfway mark of the race but he stayed composed and worked his way to the top against some of New Mexico’s best middle distance runners.

“I figured they would eventually break apart and I’ll have my shot,” Anzures said following his win on Monday. “I really didn’t want to go into the next lane and pass everybody. I just stayed within myself and coming around the 300-meter mark the gap opened up and I took my opportunity.”

And when he did, Anzures passed six runners ahead of him for a winning time of 1:58.25. Runner-up Matthew Smith came in a close second with a time of 1:58.66.

“This means a lot to me,” Anzures said. “I would have never dreamed about coming in first here. I figured I would place but to come here and actually win this is a dream come true.”

In the 1600, the Grants senior posted a 4:37.38 and placed sixth overall on Monday with Hobbs senior Andrew Bosquez setting the pace with a dizzying time of 4:21.26.

Last Saturday, Anzures set the school record in the 800 with a winning time of 1:56.29 at the Angelo DePauli Invitational in Gallup under near perfect conditions.

“With it being a nice day I knew I was going to PR,” Anzures said.

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About Author

Quentin Jodie is the Sports Editor for the Navajo Times. He started working for the Navajo Times in February 2010 and was promoted to the Sports Editor position at the end of summer in 2012. Previously, he wrote for the Gallup Independent. Reach him at
qjodie@navajotimes.com